14. Nothing But the Truth: Legal dramas are a tricky sub genre to pull off, but when done right (Primal Fear, Michael Clayton), the results are riveting. This one stars Kate Beckinsdale as a reporter who, against the wishes of many others, publishes a shocking, but true (apparently) article that outs a government agent. Of course, there's much more than meets the eye, and the trailer promises to have a number of twists as we uncover what is really going on in this deceptively simple case. The Departed's Vera Farmiga and Oscar Nominees Matt Dillon and Alan Alda also star.
Anticipation Meter: 6/10
13. The Day the Earth Stood Still: Many a film snob would quickly dismiss this as further proof that Hollywood has run out of ideas, and to an extent, this remake is. However, if handled correctly, this remake of the 1950s sci-fi classic could be a great piece of popcorn entertainment. With great special effects, and a (mostly) good cast (Jennifer Connelly, Kathy Bates, and Mad Men's Jon Hamm), there's a lot of potential in this remake. There are only two things that worry me: 1) Keanu Reeves' acting and 2) the possibility that there's a cheesy "take care of the Earth" message shamelessly shoe-horned in there. We'll see...Anticipation Meter: 6/10
12. Gran Torino: The only reason I'm becoming interested in this Clint Eastwood project is the recent buzz it has garnered from a recent LA screening. That, and GT bears an eerie similarity with Eastwood's "Letters from Iwo Jima": both were preceded by films which everyone expected to scoop up tons of nominations and critics awards, and then sputtered out (Changeling and Flags of our Fathers). If GT has the "Letters" magic charm, then consider this a shoe-in for major awards consideration.Anticipation Meter: 6/10
11. Revolutionary Road: I proudly count myself as one of the few Oscar watchers who isn't exploding with excitement over this Sam Mendes project. Though it has the potential to be a 1950s-esque version of the fantastic Mendes-helmed "American Beauty", the trailer for RR never fails to leave me cold. I've read a version of the script, and while there is some strong emotional tension, it's certainly not one of the most compelling things I've ever read. In fact, it seems like a very bland version of American Beauty (even though the original novel was written years before that film came out). Troubled marriage between two attractive middle class white people? Check. Infidelity? Check. Slightly off-kilter neighbors with a weird son? Check. Oscar bait? Triple check.Anticipation Meter: 7/10
10. Milk: Though Gus Van Sant is a wildly uneven director, he did helm one of my all time favorites (To Die For), so I'm willing to give this biopic of openly gay mayor Harvey Milk a chance. Featuring a sure-to-be-compelling central performance from Sean Penn, and boasting a reportedly powerful supporting cast, this one might turn out to be a winner. My only question: who on earth thought that releasing a film about a gay mayor on Thanksgiving Day was a smart idea? Seriously....Anticipation Meter: 7/10
9. Waltz with Bashir: There are few cinematic combinations stranger than the one in Waltz with Bashir: animation meets documentary. With similar material to last year's lovely "Persepolis" (also animated, but based off of an auto biographical graphic novel), could this foreign language animated feature possibly upset WALL-E's til now unthreatened spot as top contender for the Animated Film Oscar? All early review point to "maybe". Regardless, the unique look and compelling story should still be a strong draw.Anticipation Meter: 8/10
8. Frost/Nixon: One of several Broadway-to-Hollywood adaptations this year comes from none other than Ron Howard, director of A Beautiful Mind. Featuring original cast members Michael Sheen as David Frost and Tony Winner Frank Langella as Richard Nixon, there's sure to be many intense conversations, but the film will need a little something more if it wants to avoid feeling too stagey. Early reviews have been quite positive, though, and the film also boasts a stellar supporting cast including Sam Rockwell, Kevin Bacon, Rebecca Hall, Oliver Platt, Matthew MacFadyen, and Toby Jones.Anticipation Meter: 8/10
7. Valkyrie: While I've never been much of a Tom Cruise fan, there's still plenty here to make me excited about this WWII project from director Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects). First, there's the story, which is a jaw dropping example of truth being stranger than fiction: a plot to kill Hitler from within his own generals. The recent trailers (especially the one with the nerve-wracking ticking clock noise) seem promising, which is good considering the number of times this film has been delayed. The stellar supporting cast includes Kenneth Branaugh, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, and Eddie Izzard. My only question: why on earth do all of the German characters speak with British accents (save for Cruise, who has a flat American one)?Anticipation Meter: 8/10
6. Defiance: Another WWII thriller, also based on an incredible true story. Three Jewish brothers help lead a number of Nazi captives to freedom, and lead a mostly undetected life in the middle of the forest. Though Edward Zwick can be hit or miss, he does know how to make an exciting film, and with source material so compelling, I hope that it turns out to be the powerhouse thriller that it has the potential to be. Adding to the prestige are Daniel Craig and Liev "Mr. Naomi Watts" Schrieber as the two elder brothers.Anticipation Meter: 8/10
5. The Wrestler: I was only mildly excited for Darren Aronofsky's "The Wrestler", and that was all due to the hype from the Venice Film Festival. However, after finally seeing the trailer AND renting Aronofsky's stunning "Requiem for a Dream" (previously I'd only seen "The Fountain", which was solid, but nothing more), I'm quite excited for this end-of-the-year release. The film stars Mickey Rourke (who is supposed to be phenomenal), Maria Tomei, and Across the Universe's Evan Rachel Wood.Anticipation Meter: 8.5/10
4. Doubt: It's more than a little irritating when just about every book, play, or movie involving Catholicism HAS to include some pedophilic clergy member. It gets old really, really quickly. So why on earth am I excited about Doubt? Because it's full of ambiguity. The whole crux of the play hinges on the lack of certainty over the charges leveled against a priest at a Catholic school in 1960s New York. Featuring most of the play's rapid fire dialogue, the film is also blessed with three great actors for the key roles: Philip Seymour Hoffman as the accused priest, Amy Adams as the uncertain nun who brings the baseless charges, and Meryl Streep as the icy mother superior determined to have Hoffman stripped of his status (or at least transferred to another parish). Besides, it's usually more fun when stories like these don't spell it all out for you. It's designed to start discussion. That's something quite lacking in today's society: people forced to argue their ideas and also defend them, and defend them well.Anticipation Meter: 9/10
3. The Reader: Much like "The Wrestler", my excitement spiked after I finally watched Stephen Daldry's previous film "The Hours", and was fascinated by it. With compelling source material, and two fantastic leads (Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes), The Reader has everything it takes to be a slam dunk that could resonante with audiences, critics, and the Academy. What I particularly like is that the film's story is tied to the Holocaust, but in a less conventional way (it won't be like Schindler's List, that's for sure). Instead of focusing on people trapped in concentration camps, The Reader focuses on the way two physically unscathed people are forever changed by what happens.Anticipation Meter: 9/10
2. Slumdog Millionaire: Though it will surely be drastically different from more intense Danny Boyle films like Sunshine and 28 Days Later, I still have faith that Mr. Boyle can pull this more uplifting story off. The story focuses on a poor Indian teenager on India's version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" who has managed to answer every question (save for the final one) based on his short life. Working in other story threads involving a long lost childhood friend and ethnic genocide, the trailer promises to deliver a tale that is magical, devastating, and joyous all in one package.Anticipation Meter: 9.5/10
1. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: This is the only film on this list that I have been excited about from the very beginning, for multiple reasons. First, there's fantastic director David Fincher (Fight Club, Zodiac), the cast (Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton), and the story (man ages backwards and has incredible adventures). Think of it as a Tim Buron-esque version of Forrest Gump. With stellar production values, and heartstring-pulling story, and a talented cast (also look out for Taraji P. Henson, who is generating major buzz for her performance as Benjamin's nanny), this one looks like that rare film that can draw huge crowds and get major love from the critics.Anticipation: 10/10
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Jacob's Courage chronicles the dazzling beauty of passionate love and enduring bravery in a lurid world where the innocent are brutally murdered. In 1939, seventeen-year-old Austrians Jacob Silverman and Rachael Goldberg were bright, talented, dazzlingly happy and deeply in love. But, because they were Jews, their families lost everything. The Nazis took away their jobs, their houses and apartments, their possessions and their money. They lost contact with loved ones. Finally, they lost their liberty. Jacob and Rachael "grew up" during the Holocaust. As teenagers, they survived the beatings, rapes, and murderous acts of the Nazis, enjoyed the physical and spiritual pleasure of being in love and were able to become husband and wife in the Theresienstadt camp. They escaped, joined the partisans and fought the Nazi enemy, before Jacob and his father were imprisoned in Auschwitz. In the end, only their love and their faith that God had a plan for them kept them alive.
Jacob’s Courage (Mazo Publishers) is sold through Amazon, Target, Borders, Barnes & Noble, Powell’s and many other fine bookstores.
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